Determination of Spatially-Distributed Hydrological Ecosystem Services (HESS) in the Red River Delta Using a Calibrated SWAT Model

The principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), conservation natural capital, and water accounting requires Hydrological Eco-System Services (HESS) to be determined. This paper presents a modeling approach for quantifying the HESS framework using Soil Assessment Tool (SWAT). SWAT was used–after calibration against remote sensing data–to quantify spatially identify total runoff, livestock feed production, fuelwood from forests, dry season flow, groundwater recharge, root zone storage carrying over wet season, sustaining rainfall, peak flow attenuation, carbon sequestration, microclimate cooling, meeting environmental requirements. value current land use vegetation made explicit by out parallel simulations bare soil conditions reporting incremental ecosystem services. Geographical areas with more fewer are identified. spatial temporal variability annual services is demonstrated Day Basin—which part Red River delta (Vietnam)—for period 2003 2013. result shows that even though basin abundant HESS, e.g., 7482 m3/ha 3820 trend many values, micro-climate requirements, rootzone storage, declining. It found proven quantified indicators highlighted provisioning regulating characters services, as well geographical hotspots across basin. model capability simulating terrestrial eco-hydrological processes such climate, soil, use. methodology illustrates how eco-hydrologists can benchmark values include in exploring river management scenarios, climate change studies, planning.